Centre food services changes hands

GRAVENHURST - For the first time in many years, new hands will serve the Gravenhurst Centennial Centre’s food services.
Bala Chippers Fish and Chips restaurant owner and Cranberry Festival organizing committee member Kimberly Ellis has been awarded the centre’s food services tender.
The new owner intends to increase the food station’s hours of operation and make it a full, year-round operation in the hopes of better serving the YMCA exercise and aquatic facility patrons at times when the ice surface is not in place.
Town manager of recreation, community services and the centre’s operations, Debbie Broderick, presented two options to council Nov. 6, with Ellis getting the nod over the previous tender holder due to the increased hours.
The former operators Debbie and Stacy Gallant had been providing the centre’s food services since about 2002, including through about two years of reconstruction at the facility.
Gallant’s proposal was to maintain hours of food service operation based more on the ice schedule and would essentially shut down when the ice is removed, although plans were to seek out vending machines to help service customers when the café was closed.
Ellis’ accepted proposal will provide the town with an annual rent of $7,415, about $2,000 higher than the previous operators. The rent would remain the same in the second year, but rise to $7,638 in year three and to more than $7,800 in the fourth.
Ellis will be required to operate under an Eat Smart program, which means at least 25 per cent of the menu must be healthy choices.
Ellis also helps organize the Meals on Wheels charity service for the Bala area and Broderick said she has indicated an interest in trying to bring the program to Gravenhurst.
The agreement will run through four years before the next tender process is held.